Carmelo Anthony will make over $20 million to be the star of the New York Knicks this season on a team that has surrounded him with a dominant defensive presence in Tyson Chandler, former All-NBA big man Amar'e Stoudemire, former first-overall pick Andrea Bargnani and J.R. Smith, a mercurial swingman who has been able to carry the Knicks' offensive load when 'Melo isn't feeling it.

That apparently isn't nearly enough for Anthony, however, as the former Syracuse standout is apparently planning on opting out of his contract after this season instead of signing an extension, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. The reason for that, at least in part, is because he was apparently pining for the Knicks to trade for Boston Celtics standout Rajon Rondo.Anthony told friends after the Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce trade to the Nets, he figured the Knicks would make a play for point guard for Rajon Rondo. Anthony believes Rondo would be the perfect piece and would be super motivated in New York to attempt to knock off Garnett and Pierce.

That would make a lot of sense considering New York's point guard position: Raymond Felton isn't a world-beater, Pablo Prigioni's better days happened long before he became a Knick and Jason Kidd retired from the position to become head coach of the Brooklyn Nets this year.

Unfortunately for Mr. Anthony, however, there's no conceivable way that the Knicks would be able "make a play" for Rondo that wouldn't result in Danny Ainge laughing and hanging up the phone.

New York isn't loaded with a ton of young assets, their best win-now players are over 30 -- and the Celtics' trade of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett indicates Boston is much more interested in building for the future, anyway -- and only have a late second round pick in 2014 and their own first-round pick in 2015.

None of that is enough to lure away an All-Star point guard from Boston, especially considering new head coach Brad Stevens' gushing over Rondo at last week's introductory press conference ... and that's before even considering how the Knicks would be able to fit Rondo into a salary cap that didn't have enough room to lure players like Chris Copeland and Francisco Garcia to the Big Apple.

Our own Tom Ziller wrote on the laughable topic of Anthony wanting to head to the Los Angeles Lakers next offseason to team-up with Kobe Bryant in an effort to win a few championships with a roster that that couldn't afford any serviceable role players and was built around a pair of 30-plus ball-dominant swingmen.

Unfortunately for 'Melo, though, that scenario likely has a better chance of happening than the Knicks being able to convince a rebuilding team to give up their best asset for a pu-pu platter of subpar assets -- and that's before considering how New York might be able to fit Rondo into the cap room that isn't currently enough to lure Sebastian Telfair.

If Melo's insistent on the Knicks making trades for players that couldn't conceivably get, it might be best for the New York front office that he opts out after next season and chases a title with the 36-year-old Kobe. Because, if not, he might decide that he's leaving the next year as a free agent anyway if the Knicks don't figure out how to get Bryant to New York.

the New York Knicks this season on a team that has surrounded him with a dominant defensive presence in Tyson Chandler, former All-NBA big man Amar'e Stoudemire, former first-overall pick Andrea Bargnani and J.R. Smith, a mercurial swingman who has been able to carry the Knicks' offensive load when 'Melo isn't feeling it.

Chandler was injured for most of last season, and hasn't show much improvement. After winning a ring, and scoring a nice contract with the Knicks, what's his motive?

A'mare is just a shell of his former self. Oft injured to get back into any shape, we haven't heard from this guy since his Phoenix days.

Sure, LA has a ton to offer, but I really have a hard time envisioning Melo walking away from the Knicks unless something catastrophic & unforeseen happens this coming season (like a horrible slew of discord & injuries). I think landing LeBron is unlikely, but has more of a chance than Melo.

Every time you want to unload on CL about how terrible our Ownership/Front Office is, I want you to step back, take a deep breath and read THIS.

Lakerman JSJ wrote:Sure, LA has a ton to offer, but I really have a hard time envisioning Melo walking away from the Knicks unless something catastrophic & unforeseen happens this coming season (like a horrible slew of discord & injuries). I think landing LeBron is unlikely, but has more of a chance than Melo.

I mean, what are the chances we can land both? We land Lebron, Melo might come knocking.

eh, I'd be happy to get him only because it'd be our best option... but I was actually looking forward to a long period of basketball relevance in NY... oh well

@KJ_MonK

“Some time ago, talking to some people, they wanted a bonus if the Lakers made the playoffs. I said, `Bonus? If we don’t make the playoffs, you don’t work here anymore.”’- Jerry Buss"I know I can score 20 or 30 points anytime I want," Vujacic said.

I don't doubt Smith for a second that the Lakers are going to go after both Melo and James.

But he's not taking any chances right now saying these things. Isn't it fairly obvious the Lakers are going to go after those two? Isn't it fairly obvious that the Lakers have a better shot at Melo? Isn't it fairly obvious that it's not given Melo leaves and goes to LA but that it's a better shot than LeBron?

It's similar to Howard for me..... Is this where we want to spend our only Max slot? He's a name the franchise NEEDS but he's not going to be a leader on a championship squad.

I'd keep the cap room and wait for a true young rising star not a guy at his age that has basically become a jumpshooter these days. If he'd come for 10 M I'd do it but he isn't coming here for less than a max contract.

"If the past sits in judgment on the present, the future will be lost." Winston Churchill

“The prospect of domination of the nation's scholars by Federal employment, project allocations, and the power of money is ever present - and is gravely to be regarded."Dwight Eisenhower

"Socialism in general has a record of failure so blatant that only an intellectual could ignore or evade it"Thomas Sowell

Most teams blow all of their cap space on the best available player at the time. That will likely be Carmelo in 2014. We shouldn't lock up a 2nd tier guy just because he's available, that's a one way ticket to mediocrity, and second round exits. Hopefully Lakers management will stay patient and not bite on the first guy they see. This is the same reason I was against sending Dwight next door for a maxed out Blake Griffin. He's pretty good, and he'll put some butts in the seats, sure. But he would destroy our capspace.

I'm not even a big Carmelo hater. He is what he is though, a talented scorer, and not much else. The Lakers need to play their cards right and hold out until a well rounded megastar is available.

in the 60's we got Westin the 70's we got Kareemin the 80's we got Magicin the 90's we got Shaq/Kobein the 00's we got Shaq/Kobe and Kobe/Pauin the 2010's we got Carmel... Wait, that doesn't sound right.

The thing is, like I've said before, is that we're kind of in a pickle in 2014.

Kobe might be well into playing through 2014. Do you think LA is going to sit around with their cap space and pick up some lower level players to bide time for this "next star while Kobe's career dwindles down"? In any case, we're going to have to fill out our roster in 2014 with new players, and be able to compete while Kobe plays. Players are going to demand money, and multiyear contracts.

Maybe part of the plan may be to sign enough players to stay under the tax threshold and be able to execute sign and trades in following years.

therealdeal wrote:I don't doubt Smith for a second that the Lakers are going to go after both Melo and James.

But he's not taking any chances right now saying these things. Isn't it fairly obvious the Lakers are going to go after those two? Isn't it fairly obvious that the Lakers have a better shot at Melo? Isn't it fairly obvious that it's not given Melo leaves and goes to LA but that it's a better shot than LeBron?

Wait, why do you think that.

IMO it's a given they go after both. They'd try to sell each other on each other as interchangeable forwards and next to Kobe and Pau (both resigned for cheap).

PauMeloBronKobeNash

that is what FO is going to try and do. There really is nobody else anywhere near the caliber of those 2 and IMO would be a perfect pairing. With Kobe and Melo you have 2 guys who can fill up the scoring column and then Bron is your everything guy/playmaker and then Nash and Pau can both create.

I could be wrong, but I think that's the plan. There are no other marquee free agents next summer. The other guy I could see us going after is Tony Parker. Though he is nowhere near the stars Bron or Melo are. I do get hard at the idea of Bron and Parker together as Lakers. Especially if we end up with a top lotto pick. I think John Wall would be a great target too but he'd have to turn down the QO then become a restricted FA and convince Wash not to match. It's plausible but seems far fetched. Paul George can also go the same route as Wall, but he seems like he's got a great team for now and would be foolish to do so. Demarcus Cousins is another player in the same boat as Wall. He'd be a guy I'd love to build a "big 3" around if he can get his head straight.

therealdeal wrote:I don't doubt Smith for a second that the Lakers are going to go after both Melo and James.

But he's not taking any chances right now saying these things. Isn't it fairly obvious the Lakers are going to go after those two? Isn't it fairly obvious that the Lakers have a better shot at Melo? Isn't it fairly obvious that it's not given Melo leaves and goes to LA but that it's a better shot than LeBron?

Wait, why do you think that.

IMO it's a given they go after both. They'd try to sell each other on each other as interchangeable forwards and next to Kobe and Pau (both resigned for cheap).

PauMeloBronKobeNash

I think exactly what you think. My only point is that Smith didn't take any chances with his statements. They're fairly obvious at this point.

I'd rather give him a max, or someone like Durant the max, then Carmelo.

Kyrie won't be available for a long while. He's still on first rookie deal, so even supposing that he doesn't get extended by the Cavs, he'll be a RFA so they can match any offer. And that's not for another two years.

Melo wouldn't be my first choice, but if we are trying to win "now", i.e., with Kobe, I get it if they try to go after a couple of star players. I don't think LeBron is leaving Miami, Durant is tied up, CP3 will stay, George is probably unavailable (and he's not even that good), Irving is unavailable, Wall (also not that good) unavailable probably. Who do we turn to? I think Kobe could really be a difference maker in Melo's game. He would push him, demand that he took things more seriously than ever, wouldn't let him just chuck. They can both command a double team, so you add some shooters, a couple of athleticp layers and a rebounding/defending big and you can really do damage IMO.

Of all players in the league I would want Durant, btw.

"The first time I ever saw my uniform hanging in the locker I put it on right away, and it just felt like I was putting on golden armour. From that day forward, I just called it 'the golden armour', it just felt like there was something mystical and magical about it" - Kobe Bryant.

1st of all, I'm going to base all of this on Nash either retiring after this season or us dumping him.

I'm not with the plan to hand out 2 max contracts though.. With the repeater tax & everything set up the way it is, I don't think it's safe to commit that type of money to players that aren't superstars anymore unless you don't already have 1.. We're talking about having 3 (although hopefully Kobe takes a paycut). I think the smart way to go is sign young players that will be underpaid because they aren't quite a franchise player..

I want 1 max guy, hopefully Melo. I don't think Lebron or Kyrie are leaving their teams, but if they do, I'd give out 2 max deals to get any 2 of those 3. . Otherwise, I max Melo, sign Larry Sanders to a deal starting between 7-9M..

I make the next priority getting a PG.. Irving, Lillard, Rubio & Walker likely won't be able to go anywhere.. It would take something huge like Duncan & Pop retiring for Tony Parker to hit the market but that would be VERY interesting.. i think our best bet at a star PG is John Wall declining his QO & threatening to sit out or something if the Wizards match, & we can sign him a deal starting around 10-12. If not, it will be interesting to see how Vasquez does in Sacramento.. If he goes there & struggles like most players do, I think he's another guy to target that won't get huge money but will do what we need from our starting PG. Then there are the guys like Collison, Avery Bradley, Bledsoe, Patty Mills who all might end up being bargains.

I'm also interested to see how this season goes for Golden State's wings.. They have to figure out how to use Iggy/Barnes/Klay together.. I'm hoping either Barnes or Klay is unhappy with their role & will try to force the team to let them become restricted FA's & hopefully not match 7-9M a year type offers.

I think for the big next to Sanders, we look for an old guy to take a paycut.. Maybe Pau comes back cheap to rack up the rings with a superteam, or Dirk ringchases for cheap.. He said he'd take a huge paycut to win, & I don't think it's far fetched that he'd leave Dallas to do it if they just can't rebuild in time, which looks to be the case so far. For the sake of keeping it simple I'll say we keep Pau, but Dirk would be better & I hope we explore that option. Would love to get both if they'd take 4-5M each.

Melo 20M?Barnes 8MSanders 8MVasquez 5MHill 4M

Puts us at roughly 45M.. Assuming the cap only goes up to about 59M we have 14M left to split between Kobe & Pau . I'd like to see Kobe take 10, Pau take 4.. Then we'd be eligible for the full MLE, not even going to guess who we sign with that.. Not sure who we'd be able to get on minimum contracts either so I'll just add in the guys we're going after/have now for the sake of posting a projected 2014-2015 roster.

Vasquez/FarmarKobe/SashaMelo/BarnesPau/LOSanders/Hill

I love the flexibility that team gives you.. You have Sanders & Hill who both compliment Pau & LO perfectly.. You have the ability to go small with Barnes or Melo at PF.. Sanders/Barnes/Vasquez solid pieces to build the future with..

lakerfan2 wrote:The things is, when you get star players to play together (see Miami, Clippers, Houston), some decent players will actually play for MUCH less than the market value they would usually be asking.

You combine Kobe, Lebron and Melo - players will come flocking to play for us. Lets say Kobe and Pau take huge paycuts to win:

Projected 2014-2015 - Cap - 62M Tax "Apron": 75M

Lebron - 25MMelo - 15 MKobe - 10MPau - 5M

55M between them, leaving 7M + the FULL MLE 5.3 M + Bi-Annual Exception 2M + Vet Min. Well more than enough to fill out the roster with role players like a Battier or Chris Andersen type player.

And that STILL puts us under the Tax Apron at a total of 69.3M + whatever players sign for the Vet Min.

As long as we stay under that apron, we DON'T get hit with the repeater tax.

Lebron can't make 25M.. Melo & Lebron came in the league the same year so the max for them is the same.. I believe 19 or 20M.. They can both make more money by staying on their teams because they can just extend their current deals, I know Melo could make much more by remaining a Knick.. If you can go the big 3 route & get Lebron & Melo, I hope we wouldn't be concerned with them taking paycuts. Or in Melo's case, more of a paycut than he already would be taking. They could take 20M each & we could still pull off what you listed there.. I really want to save enough room for Larry Sanders no matter what we do.. I don't think you can pass up that good of a rim protector at the discount he's likely to go for..